Automatic tubing catcher for wells



Sept- 139 R. A. WILSON AUTOMATIC TUBING CATCHER FOR WELLS Filed June 26. 192

Patented Sept. 13, 19 27.

nonnnrn. WILSON, 01 DALLAS, mains, nssronolt T fJ3HE1GUI1ERSON compan on,

I bananas, -raxas..neomonarr1on oFmnLAWAnE;

AUTOMATIC stain eas-Hes i Y .err tien 1??? 1mm 6,

catcher in-which slipsare automatically-dis placed into .engagement withithe walls of the casing when the tubing to "which tl e catcher is attached, is dropped or falls; r

Theobject of the invention is toprovide a catcher in which the actuating weight member is sustained by elastic ;1 'nea n s, other than a sprin and fsaid elasticlmeanslgheing normally unt er tensiombyextension; where by upon a fall or drop of thecatcher; the inertia of the weight will relievethe tension of said elastic means and cause the slips to 'A construction designedgto .carry out the invention will fbe hereinafter described together with other features otttheinvention.

The invention ;will b.e more .readily 'under' stood from'a reading ottlie following specification and by reference to the accon pany ing drawings, in which' an earample' ot tfhe invention is shown and wher ei-nz Fig.- -1-is an elevation'of a tubing catcher constructed in accordance with my invention 1 Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 2'2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a section of well tubing having a collar 11 at its upper end and a collar 12 at its lower end. A head 13 is immovably secured on the tubing below the collar 11. The head is formed from a cylindrical body and has a reduced collar 14 at its upper end surrounding the tubing. Three downwardly and inwardly inclined guide faces 15 are equally spaced on the sides of the head. A guide rib 16 extends down the center of each face. Each guide rib is dovetailed in cross section. I

On each face is mounted a gripper slip 17 having its inner side or back flat so as to lie against and slide upon the guide face 15..

The outer side or front of the slip is curved transversely in an arc concentric to the tubing and is provided with the usual gripper teeth 18. Each slip is also given a wedge shape, being reduced from its bottom to its top edge. It is .preferableto give the back of the slip the same angle of inclination as through said member.

' member.

the "face gtolmalre the point of the V i .1. t e n -rad u .tlwouslwut ther by holding the teeth parallel "to the inner wall of t s e n at a l f ls tiqn o adj tm'enti naeh slip-is'forined with dovetailed recess 19 complementary to ai d receiviiiglthe guide rib 16; By this arrangement each. lip is free-to slide vfertically buttis held. against relative outward displacement and the equal p ngga t sl p 1 'alS ii1ain e edp acslip has a pair of spaced ears ;20}on' its"botto endat i a re fn 9f we: 2. is r veted between 1 saidiears. At thefbottom of each guide face the head has "a boss 22 provided with acentral slot 23 through which re lm];

depends. The guide .ribs 16 terminate.atlthe slots. "The-outer-faces of the boss may conform to thef curvature"of the head" proper. The head is provided with concaved iy rtical channels 24 betweenthe'guidefaces per- I ns re Pa sag tfie d- Af yl nid ea Weight e i 2 it -m untt S ide f e yi n the tub n sec'ti i I 0. ifl lh ie npl e eer ns b tws nt bore of the member and the tubingsection to permit the tubing to move freely down The member I may have one or more sand and oil bleed ports 26 and both its lower and upper ends are preferably beveled.

' The upper end of the weight member is provided with spaced ears 27 between which the lower ends of the links 21 are pivoted. At the lower ends of the channels 24 Iprovide sumps 28, while directly'below, notches 29 are formed in the upper end of the weight Links or straps 30 of rubber or other elastic material, having rounded ends 31, are secured in the sumps and notches by.

machine screws 32.

- The weight member is thus initially sustained by the straps 30, but it is heavy enough to stretch said straps and thus place them under tension. The downward movement of the member 25 is limited by the In usingthe catcher it is connected in the string of tubing by means of the collars 11 and 12, the nearer the bottom the better,

but. always within the casing. Normally the slips will be withdrawn within the diameter 01? the head 13, and the teeth thereof will not engage the casing (not shown), thus permitting the catcher to be -lreely moved up and down in the casing with the string of tubing.

It the string of tubing should break at any point above the head 13 or it the string should be dropped, the ope -at-ion will be as follows: The inertia of the weight member 25, accentuated by the tendency of the elastic straps 30 to retract, will cause said weight member to moi'nentarily remain relatively stationary, thus maintaining its position. The head l3 and tubing section 10, however, being attached to the string of moving tubing will lend to descend more rapidly and consequently the links 21 being sustained by the inert member 25, will support the slips 17. This will result in an outward or radial displacement of the slips on the guide .iaccs l5 oi the head, whereby the teeth 18 will bite into the casing and hold the parts suspended against a further drop. This action very rapid and the catch is usually made within a few inches.

Various changes in the size and shape of the different parts, as well as modifications and alterations, may be made withinv the scope oi? the appendial claims.

hat I claim, is:

1. In an automatic well tubing catcher, a tubing section, a head connected therewith, gripper slips mounted on the head and movable outwardly relatively of the head, a

weight member slidable on the section below the head, connections between the slips and said member, and elastic connections between the head and weight member of rubber-like material of sul'iicient rigidity to resist retraction when distended to suspend said member.

2. In an automatic well tubing catcher, a tubing section, a head connected therewith, gripper slips mounted on the head and 1novable outwardly relatively of the head, a weight member slidable on the section below the head, connections between the slips and said member, and elastic straps ol. rubher-like sheet material. oi? sufficient. rigidity to resist retraction when distended to suspend said member and secured at their opposite ends to the outer :iace of the head. and weight member.

3. In an automatic well tubing catcher, a tubing section, a head connected therewith and having recesses at its lower edge, gripper slips mounted on the head and movable outwardly relatively oi? the head, a weight member slidable on the section below the head and having recesses at its upper edge, conneetions between the slips and said member, and straps of elastic rubber-dike material having their upper ends attached within the recesses at the lower end of the head and their lower ends attached within the recesses at the upper end of the weight member and tensioned by the latter.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

ROBERT A. lVILSON. 

